The kit’s 128 parts fit every bit as well as expected. Provided are two rubber-like treaded tires, various poly caps and screws, a spring and vinyl tubing. Fear not, the ubiquitous screwdriver is included.

Well-rendered decals are supplied for the finer parts of the paint scheme and all labeling details. Paint masks to help with the paint breaks make executing the tri-color paint job very manageable. A pair of die-cut Mylar mirror faces and traditional thorough Tamiya instructions round out the contents.

I began by assembling and prepping the body parts for paint. Once the tank and front fender pieces were cemented together (make sure to sand smooth the cement that oozed out the seams), all parts were given a light coat of fine white primer used as an adhesion promoter. Full coverage with Tamiya pure white (TS-26) followed, and then the parts were allowed to dry.

Masks have to be hand-cut, but it’s not tedious. Since they create the visible paint edge, it pays to do so smoothly on both sides. Three light to moderate coats of decanted Italian red (TS-8) were airbrushed as directed. Note that spraying directly from the can may create a higher chance of the red bleeding under the masks though.

The next day I applied the decal graphics for the parts. I tried Tamiya’s Mark Fit decal solvent and found it helpful. Two-part urethane clear (Matrix MSV-21) was airbrushed on all of the body parts.

While it cured, the mechanical portions of the bike were addressed following the instructions in both assembly and paint callouts using mostly Tamiya acrylics. I found a few counterparts in Tamiya’s TS line that eliminated the need to mix a couple of the colors.

Pinstripe decals on the wheels are surprisingly easy to apply, but probably the most difficult ones in the kit. Apply the one section (of three per side) that has the lettering on it, to each wheel then allow to fully dry. Then apply the other two sections to the same side, at the same time. Using a tiny bit of decal solvent while positioning them worked best. Once located satisfactorily and allowed to dry, I brushed decal solvent on them and rolled the edges with a Q-tip for more of a “paint” look.

The Ducati’s brake rotors have vent holes molded-in and could be detailed with a wash of black, but I drilled them out with a No. 64 drill in a pin vise, which matched the diameter of the molded holes.

Piston sections of the front forks are called out to be gold and I used the recommended paint, but it looks a bit coarse compared to the 1:1. It should look like polished metal. I probably should have used foil as a base and clear yellow to tint those areas, or maybe leftover gold foil from a Tamiya F1 kit.

The kit’s engineering is impressive and allows the clear parts and other delicate pieces to easily cement together with little fear of error.

Several parts press together using poly caps and many of the small screws aren’t visible once the bike is assembled. While some builders don’t care for them being visible in places like the bodywork, I think the ease of assembly and ability to remove them later, is an acceptable trade-off.

As delicate as the finished subject looks, it is actually quite sturdy.

Like many other modern Tamiya motorcycle kits, this doesn’t disappoint and Tamiya seemsto be continue making better and better kits. This will be a great addition to my Ducati collection. If another livery is produced using the same basic parts I’d definitely consider building it.